The present invention relates generally to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program storage medium that are capable of instantly picking up images through a built-in CCD (Charge Coupled Device) video camera, even if the video camera is in the power-off state or in the power saving mode.
A BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is a system program (or a group of system routines) for controlling the basic input/output operations depending on the hardware of a personal computer and installed on its mother board as stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a flash memory. The operations in a personal computer to be executed from the time when the personal computer is powered on up to the time when the OS (Operating System) such as Windows 98 (trademark) of Microsoft Corporation starts up are all controlled by the BIOS.
In addition to the above-mentioned BIOS, a socalled keyboard BIOS is incorporated in the keyboard controller on the mother board. Therefore, the former is referred to as a system BIOS while the latter is referred to as a keyboard BIOS. These BIOS""s and various device drivers depend on the hardware of various devices and so on, so that these BIOS""s and various device drivers are sometimes generically referred to as hardware-dependent programs or low-level system programs. The hardware-dependent programs are used hereinafter. By the same token, the OS (operating system) is a hardware-independent high-level system program. The operating system is simply referred to as the OS herein.
Portable (or note-type) personal computers are powered by a battery incorporated therein. In order to extend the power supply as long as possible, most portable personal computers are provided with power saving mode called suspend mode or sleep mode.
A portable personal computer enters the suspend mode when the computer is out of use for a certain length of time. When the computer enters the suspend mode, all CPU operations are suspended, upon which the power supply to the hardware components is stopped, except for some circuits requiring backup. Thus, power consumption of the battery is suppressed.
When the user wants to have the computer process certain information during the suspend mode, the user must clear the suspend mode by performing a predetermined key operation. After the user performs this operation, the computer gets out of the suspend mode, upon which the above-mentioned OS is fully resumed to make the computer ready for executing the processing required by the user.
Sometimes, there are cases that the user wants to quickly shoot images, either moving or stationary, when his or her portable personal computer having the CCD camera for moving/still images is in power-off state or in suspend mode. In such a situation, the computer must be firstly got out of the suspend mode. This, however, takes a certain time until the OS is fully resumed, sometimes making the shooting timing too late.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to allow the user to pick up and record images through the CCD video camera incorporated in a personal computer immediately upon instructing the same held in power-off state or suspend mode for image capturing.
In carrying out the invention and according to one aspect thereof, there is provided an information processing apparatus comprising: an instructing means for instructing image capturing; an imaging means for imaging a subject as instructed through the instructing means and generating image data based on the imaged subject; a recording means for recording the image data generated by the imaging means; and a control means for starting fewest possible means required for image capturing including at least the imaging means and the recording means when image capturing is instructed through the instructing means with the information processing apparatus in one of an power-off state and an energy saving mode, controlling the started device, and recording the image data generated by the imaging means onto the recording means.
In carrying out the invention and according to another aspect thereof, there is provided an information processing. method for use in an information processing apparatus comprising an instructing means for instructing image capturing, an imaging means for imaging a subject as instructed through the instructing means, and recording means for recording image data generated by the imaging means, the information processing method comprising the steps of: starting each of fewest possible means required for image capturing including at least the imaging means and the recording means when image capturing is instructed through the instructing means with the information processing apparatus in one of an power-off state and an energy saving mode; and controlling each of the started means to record the image data generated by the imaging means onto the recording means.
In carrying out the invention and according to still another aspect thereof, there is provided a program storage medium for storing a computer program comprising the steps of: starting each of fewest possible means required for image capturing including at least the imaging means and the recording means when image capturing is instructed through the instructing means with the information processing apparatus in one of an power-off state and an energy saving mode; and controlling each of the started means to record the image data generated by the imaging means onto the recording means.
According to the information processing apparatus, the information processing method, and the program storage medium of the present invention, when image capturing is instructed with the information processing apparatus either in power-off state or in power saving mode, only fewest possible means necessary for the image capturing are started. Through these means, a desired image is picked up and recorded. The novel setup allows the user to quickly capture images without missing the timing of image pick-up.